1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printer and an ink cartridge which is prevented from being installed in the ink jet printer in an inappropriate state where a vent is not open.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, an ink cartridge 30, which is attachable to and detachable from an ink jet printer, has a vent (hole) 33 for exposing an ink container 32 to the air and an ink supply hole 36 for providing a recording head with ink. After the ink cartridge is manufactured and before it is actually used, the vent 33 and the ink supply hole 36 are covered with sealing members, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 7, usually, the vent 33 is sealed with a vent seal 34, which is affixed on an upper surface 35 of a casing 31 and can easily be fallen off.
When the ink cartridge 30 is installed into a cartridge holder (not illustrated) of the ink jet printer, an ink supply tube to be in contact with the recording head breaks through a sealing member 37 for sealing the ink supply hole 36 formed on the bottom section of the casing 31. The ink supply tube is engaged with a packing member which is arranged in the internal circumference of the ink supply hole 36, and enters the ink container 32. The ink container 32 and the recording head are in contact with each other through the ink supply tube.
The user of the ink jet printer needs to fall off the vent seal 34, before inserting the ink cartridge 30 into the cartridge holder. The ink container 32 is exposed to the air through the vent 33, whereby ink inside the ink container 32 is always atmospherically pressure-loaded. With the effect of this pressure and the head pressure of the ink, the ink is smoothly provided onto the recording head through the ink supply tube.
In the case where the user unintentionally leaves the vent seal 34 as it is, and the vent 33 is not exposed to the air, the pressure is not loaded into the ink container 32. Hence, only the head pressure of the ink is only the driving force for providing the ink onto the recording head. In this case, the ink supply tube can not stably provide the recording head with the ink, resulting in unstable printing. Along with the use of the ink, the negative pressure occurs inside the ink container 32. Thus, until the ink is out put from the recording head, the air is likely to penetrate into the ink container 32 in the form of bubbles. If the bubbles enter between the ink container 32 and the recording head, the ink is caused to be output intermittently. Once the bubbles enter there between, they can not easily be removed therefrom, even the vent 33 is open, causing the awkward printing.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, when the user unintentionally leaves the vent seal 34 as it is, the conventional ink cartridge 30 may apparently be installed desirably into a cartridge holder 40. Particularly, a tube container 44 for containing an ink supply tube 45 and which is formed on the bottom surface of a casing 41 is engaged with the ink supply hole 36. A lid section 42 rotates centrically about a supporting shaft 43, and a hook 42a of the lid section 42 can be engaged an engagement claw 41a of the casing 41. In this structure, the user can not be aware that the he/she has left the vent seal 34 as is, until any of the above-described problems arise.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer and an ink cartridge which can be prevented from being inappropriately installed into the ink jet printer without opening a vent of the ink cartridge which is attachable to and detachable from the ink jet printer.
Another object thereof is to provide an ink jet printer and an ink jet cartridge which does not provide a recording head with ink, in a case where the ink cartridge is inappropriately installed into the ink jet printer without opening a vent of the ink cartridge.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge, which is contained in a cartridge container of a printer, comprising:
an ink container;
a vent (hole) which is provided in the ink container;
an ink supply hole for accepting an ink supply tube, being in contact with a recording head of the printer so as to supply an ink thereto;
an ink supply section which includes the ink supply hole and is engaged with a tube container, being formed in the cartridge container, containing the ink supply tube and having a concave shape;
a closing member for closing the vent, and which is removed from the ink cartridge before the ink cartridge is used; and
an installation stopper which is formed in one unit with the closing member and prevents the ink supply tube from entering the ink supply hole, when the ink supply section is inserted into the cartridge container without removing the closing member.
According to the above structure, if the user inserts the ink cartridge into the cartridge container without removing the closing member for closing the vent, the ink supply section is not engaged with the tube container by the effect of the installation stopper which is formed together with the closing member in one unit. In this structure, the ink cartridge can not entirely be contained inside the cartridge container, and partially sticks out therefrom. Hence, the user can be aware that he/she has inserted the ink cartridge into the cartridge container without removing the closing member. The installation member is formed together with the closing member in one unit. Therefore, the user simply removes the installation stopper together with the closing member.
The ink supply section is not engaged with the tube container. In this structure, even if the user tries to operate the printer without knowing that he/she has not removed the closing member from the ink cartridge, no ink is supplied onto the recording head. In addition, no ink is output from the recording head, therefore, the user can simply be aware that the ink cartridge ha s inappropriately been installed.
A concave section may be formed in a circutferential section of the ink supply section; and
the concave section may be engaged with a rib which is formed in a circumferential section of the tub e container, and prepared so as to settle a position of the ink supply section, thereby the ink supply section and the tube container are centered.
If the ink cartridge is installed into the cartridge container without removing the installation stopper, the concave section formed in the circumferential section of the ink supply section is interfered with the installation stopper so as not to be engaged with the ribs which are formed in the circumferential sections of the tube container. Hence, the ink cartridge is not stably positioned. Thus, the user can easily be aware of the inappropriate installation of the ink cartridge. If the user installs the ink cartridge into the cartridge container after removing the installation stopper, the concave section is engaged with the rib of the tube container. In this structure, the ink supply section and the tube container can be centered, thus securing appropriate installation of the ink cartridge.
The installation stopper and the closing member may be formed in a tape-like shape; and
a thickness of the installation stopper may be larger than a thickness of the closing member.
In the case where the installation stopper is arranged on the side surface of the ink cartridge, the installation stopper can not enter the gap between the ink cartridge and the side wall of the cartridge container. Besides, the ink cartridge can not entirely be contained in side the cartridge container. Due to the structure of the tape-like shape of the installation s topper and the closing member, the ink cartridge can be handled with ease. The installation stopper which is large in thickness has a function a s a pull for pulling the closing member. Hence, the user can easily remove the installation stopper and the closing member from the ink cartridge.
The closing member may be an adhesive tape onto whose back surface which an adhesive is affixed; and
the installation stopper may be adhered to an outer circumference of the ink container.
In this structure, the installation stopper can not enter the gap between the ink cartridge and the side wall of the cartridge container. Even if the user tries to insert the ink cartridge into the cartridge container by force, the installation stopper is adhered onto the side wall of the ink container. Thus, the installation stopper desirably prevents the inappropriate installation.
The closing member may be an adhesive tape onto whose back surface an adhesive is affixed; and
the installation stopper may droop down and detached from an outer circumference of the ink container.
In this case, the installation stopper sticks out from the cartridge container. Then, the user can visibly recognize the sticking installation stopper, and be aware of the inappropriate installation of the ink cartridge.
The installation stopper may be formed of a material which differs from a material of the closing member. For example, the closing member covers the vent from in the upper surface of the ink container, and is formed of a soft material so as to be deformed along with the shape of the ink container. The installation stopper is formed of a rigid material.
The installation stopper may be formed of a same material as a material of the closing member.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet printer comprising:
a recording head which outputs an ink onto a recording medium;
a cartridge container which contains an ink cartridge including a vent; and
an ink supply tube which is in contact with a recording head, and for supplying and ink thereonto, and
wherein the ink supply tube is contained inside a tube container having a concave shape and being formed inside the cartridge container, and
the tube container is engaged with an ink supply section of the ink cartridge, and the ink supply tube enters an ink supply hole included in the ink supply section so as to supply the recording head with an ink, when the ink cartridge, from which an installation stopper formed in one unit together with a closing member for covering a vent is removed, is inserted into the cartridge container.
The cartridge container may include a rotatable lid section and a body including the tube container; and
when the ink cartridge without the installation stopper is inserted into the cartridge container, the lid section may rotate so as to be engaged with the body.
The cartridge container may include a rib, which is engaged with a concave section formed in a circumferential section of the ink cartridge, and which is prepared so as to settle a position of the ink supply section, thereby the tube container and the ink supply section are centered.